Roasted Branzino with Lemons

Name: Roasted Branzino with Lemons
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 2 teaspoons olive oil; 8 ounces pancetta, cut into 1/4-inch dice; Vegetable oil cooking spray; 2 (1 1/2-pound) whole branzino, striped bass, or red snapper, scaled and gutted, head removed; Salt and freshly ground black pepper; 2 lemons, zest grated, thinly sliced; 1 medium fennel bulb, fronds coarsely chopped (about 1/4 cup) and bulb trimmed and thinly sliced; 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves; 1/2 cup dry white wine

December 20, 2011

Cooking a fish whole is the best way to ensure it will stay moist and flavorful, and the process is a lot less intimidating than it looks. Branzino is a small Mediterranean sea bass with a mild flavor and delicate texture, enhanced here with a bright, fresh stuffing of fennel and lemon. Todd says he always feels like he’s on a diet when he eats ﬁsh, so I cook it with some pancetta to hearty up the dish a bit. Do watch out for small bones when you serve the branzino.

Recipe information

Yield
4 servings

Ingredients

2 teaspoons olive oil

8 ounces pancetta, cut into 1/4-inch dice

Vegetable oil cooking spray

2 (1 1/2-pound) whole branzino, striped bass, or red snapper, scaled and gutted, head removed

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 lemons, zest grated, thinly sliced

1 medium fennel bulb, fronds coarsely chopped (about 1/4 cup) and bulb trimmed and thinly sliced

2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves

1/2 cup dry white wine

Preparation

Step 1
Place an oven rack in the lower third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Step 2
In a small skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, until brown and crispy, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Set aside.
Step 3
Lay a piece of heavy-duty foil on a baking sheet. Spray the foil with vegetable oil cooking spray. Lay the fish in the center of the foil and cut two 2-inch diagonal slits on each side of each fish, taking care not to cut through the bone. Season the cavities with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, mix together half of the lemon zest, the fennel fronds, and thyme. Divide the mixture in half and place in the cavities. Stuff the fish with the lemon and fennel slices, reserving 4 lemon slices to place on top. Scatter any remaining fennel and the cooked pancetta around the ﬁsh. Pour the wine over the fish and arrange 2 lemon slices on top of each. Lay another piece of foil on top and crimp the edges of both pieces of foil together to form a packet.
Step 4
Roast the fish for 30 to 35 minutes, until the flesh is flaky and cooked through. Let rest for 5 minutes. Carefully remove the top piece of foil. Transfer the fish to a cutting board. Remove the fennel and lemon slices and arrange on a platter. Pull back the skin from the ﬁsh. Using a sharp knife, separate the two top fillets from the backbone. Using a metal spatula, transfer the fillets to the platter. Lift the fish backbone from the bottom fillets (the backbone should come off easily) and discard. Using the spatula, transfer the two remaining fillets to the platter. Sprinkle with the remaining lemon zest before serving.

Giada at Home by Giada De Laurentiis. Copyright © 2010 by Giada De Laurentiis. Published by the Crown Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved. Giada De Laurentiis is the star of Food Network's Everyday Italian and Behind the Bash. She attended the Cordon Bleu in Paris, and then worked in a variety of Los Angeles restaurants, including Wolfgang Puck's Spago, before starting her own catering and private-chef company, GDL Foods. The granddaughter of movie producer Dino De Laurentiis, Giada was born in Rome and grew up in Los Angeles, where she now lives.

TagsItalian American Italian European Sea Bass Bass Fish Seafood Lemon Citrus Fruit Pancetta Cured Meat Meat Main Dinner Dairy Free Nut Free Gluten Free Weeknight Meals Roast Cookbooks

Recipe information

Ingredients

Preparation

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Recipe notes